[He] is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us… Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)
Our World Mission Department is rarely stumped with the requests that come from our international partners, so when Mama Phoebe asked about wedding dresses, Betty didn’t hesitate. “When our girls in Uganda get married, they like to have white dresses, but they’re very expensive for us. Can you help?” Phoebe asked.
Immediately upon her return from overseas, Betty went from store to store pricing dresses that we could deliver to the hopeful brides. It didn’t take much shopping for her to realize that purchasing just a few dresses would totally exhaust our annual budget. So Betty did what we always do when a problem seems to have no solution—she prayed. “Lord,” Betty prayed, “there’s no way we can afford these dresses, but you told us to ask, and so I’m asking for your supply.”
Within a few days, Betty got a call regarding a parishioner who wanted to close her bridal salon and wanted to give away the merchandise. Were we interested? She was astonished but responded in the affirmative. And within the week our maintenance director called Betty to come down to the loading dock where a sixteen-wheeler was unloading its cargo: numerous bridal gowns, shoes, veils, prayer books, bridesmaid and mother of the bride and groom dresses—everything and more than she had ever asked. In fact, after sorting out all the bounty, our Ugandan friends AND our Mexican friends were able to open up their own bridal salons, and a church on the Border was able to purchase a van with the funds they made by selling unneeded wedding items.
Anytime we begin to think in our ministry (or our personal lives) that the need is too great or that it would be presumptuous to ask God to answer a particular request, we remind each other of the Wedding Dresses. We might have thought it was frivolous—for God it was a way to demonstrate his love and his abundance.
You have not for you ask not (James 4:3).
Father, thank you that you love to pour out your blessings on your undeserving servants. Give us great faith to ask great things that you may be glorified. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.
agodforeveryday 